Means and method for turning rotatable objects to predetermined positions



June 22, 1937. LE ROY J. LEISHMAN 2,084,351 MEANS AND METHOD FOR TURNIfiG ROTATABLE OBJECTS T0 PREDETERMI NED,PO SITIONS Filed Dec. 15, 1934.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR:

Junef22, 1937. L ROY. J. LEISHMAN 2,084,851 7 MEANS AND METHOD FOR TURNING ROTATABLE OBJECTS To PREDETERMINED POSITIONS Filed 5' 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 llmlnnlnuh INVENTORY June 22, 1937. LE ROY. J. LEISHMAYN 2,084,851

-MEANS AND METHOD FOR TURNINGROTATABLE OBJECTS TO PREDETERMINED POSITIONS Filed 1934 3 Shets-Sheet 3 I h v e G a G c c;

FA U Patented June 22, 1937 PATENT O FFlCE MEANS AND METHOD FOR TURNING RO- TATABLE OBJECTS TO PREDETERMINED POSITIONS Le Roy J. Leishman, Los Angeles, Calif. Application December 15, 1934, Serial No. 757,644 16 Claims. (01. 250-40) The invention herein described relates to improvements in automatic apparatus for turning rotatable objects about their axes to predetermined positions and more particularly to means I!- whereby a plurality of such objects may be immediately and simultaneously rotated to any one of several pro-selected positions or "settings which may be different for each rotated object. The purposes of this invention are to provide 10 simple apparatus for turning dials, shafts and the like to the particular settings required in using an instrument or machine for a definite task; to afford means whereby a. plurality of such rotatable elements may be simultaneously turned 15 each to a pre-selected position which may be different from that to which any other such element is being turned; to provide a simple manually operated control for accurately returning such rotatable elements to any desired'previous manual operation will cause a plurality of rotatable members each to be turned to any one of a group of pre-selected positions; 5 to provide means for simultaneously setting the dials of a radio receiving set and a television receiving set; to make it possible for a single manual operation to tune either a radio set or a television set, or both; toafiordsmeans whereby the apparatus may easily be adjusted so that a definite manual operation will cause the desired rotatable element to be turned to. a desired position. F

The application of this invention to radio and television makes it possible to tune in a radio broadcasting station and its associated television much less bother than would otherwisebe required. The large number of pictorial elements needed in television forthe transmission of a single detailed image within the time period of 40 the persistence of vision, makes the use of short betuned to the frequency on which the radio 5 broadcastingstation is transmitting, and the short wave television receiver must be tuned to the-different frequency of the television broadcasting station which transmits the images of the scene at which the'radio program'originates. 55 The dial settingsfor these'stations are entirely position; to provide mechanism whereby a single broadcasting station in far less time and with To receive both the sound and the i associated television, the radioreceivingset must different, and it is therefore impractical to turn Y the dials synchronously by any connecting means, such as gears, belts or a common shaft.

The present invention makes it possible to ac-' complish this double tuning by"a single manual operation.

Still other objects of this invention will be evident as the description proceeds.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a sideelevation, with certain parts cut away, of one embodiment of this invention, and shows two positions of a single rotatable member and the manually operable control.

levers.

Fig. 2 shows duplicate sets of some of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1.

.Fig. 3 shows how the type of control levers shown in Fig. 1 may be usedior moving two rotatable members. 7 V

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the type of apparatus shown in Fig. 2, applied to the automatic tuning of a radio sound receiver and a television receiver so that any one of a group of pre-selected radio broadcasting stations may be immediately tuned in along with its, associated television station. Many parts have been omitted to facilitate the explanation of its structure and operation.

' Fig. 5 is a front elevation showing the controls and part of the front panel of a combination radio and television set using the automatic 3o tuning arrangement shown in Fig. 3.

Figs. 6,7, and 8 are modifications of the operating levers shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

Fig.9 shows the application of the general'type of levers illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 to the setting of a pair of rotatable members on separate shafts.

Similar reference characters refer to. similar parts in the various figures.

Although the type of automatic adjusting or 40 positioning mechanism herein'described may be used for setting the dials or controls of many different kinds of apparatus, its application to the automatic tuning of radio and television sets,

as disclosed herein, may be considered as representative of its use for other purposes.

In' Fig. 1,. A is a positioning-arm, adjustably mounted on shaft S and fixed in position by. the long set screw R. (A different view of this positioning arm, usingthe same reference letters, is shown in Fig. 2.) Y is :3. lug, or portion of the arm bent at a right angle to the arm proper.

The end portion X is thicker than the main portion of arm A and has an aperture Z through which the set screw S to'which it is attached. Meanwhile, pin P will.

The leverF is pivoted on rod Q and has a hub H to hold the lever more rigidly perpendicular to rod Q than would be the case if the hub were absent. The lever L, free to turn on shaft S as a fulcrum, hasa short end K with an elongated slot 1. The lever F has a projecting portion E in which is set a pin P that moves in slot I of lever L. B is a bumper for limiting the upward movement of lever F, and may consist of a tube of soft or resilient material such as cork, rubber or felt placed on a rod Q3. The lever F is held against this bumper by spring J attached to Q2, which may be a rod parallel to rods Q and Q3. D is a panel or escutcheon having a slot G through which the free end of lever F passes.

If lever Fis pressed down, it will engage lug "Y of arm A, thus rotating the arm and the shaft press against the lower side of slot I, causing the long end of lever L to move upward. Lever F will finally press lug Y against lever L, preventing further movement. This position of these parts is shown in dotted lines. When the control lever F is released, it will be pulled upward by the spring from theposition indicated by the dotted lines until it again assumes its inoperative position indicated by the full lines, but the arm A and the shaft S will be held by the friction of the bearings, not shown, in the angular position to which they were moved.

If the shaft S is attached to the shaft that controls the tuning apparatus of a radio receiving set, the movement of arm A to a definite position by means of pressing lever L will be the equivalent of turning a calibrated dial to a definite setting as is the usual procedure when tuning in a desired broadcasting station.

How adjustments may readily be made so that I the pressing of lever F will turn a calibrated dial or other rotating member to any desired setting,

- will be explained after associated apparatus has been introduced in some of the followingilgures.

A complete automatic tuner for a radio set may include several sets of levers and positionlug arms such as those illustrated in Fig. 1. implicates of A and L would alternate on shaft S as shown in Fig. 2. Rod Q, Fig. 1, would support other levers like-F, held up by other springs attached to rod Q2.

In Fig. 3, parts bearing the same reference letters are identical to those in Fig. 1. In this figure, however, an additional positioning arm C is introduced, which can be used'to tune in a television station while arm A tunes in the accompanying radio broadcasting station. Both these arms, of course, cannot be attached to the scribed in the description of Fig. 1, F will engage lug Y of arm A; and as lever L. moves upward, it will engage lug Y2 of arm C. Both of .thesearms will therefore be brought to the same central position as levers F and L bite together with lugs Y and Y! in between.

It is immaterial where these arms happen to lie between'the extreme limits of motion of levers F and L. Arm C couldbe uppermost, or both of them could be either above or below a central location. In any case, the closing of the jaw formed by the levers will bring the arms positively and firmly to the same definite angular position. l

Fig. 4 is a plan view of an automatic radio and television tuner using several sets of levers and positioning arms like those shown in Fig.3. Various parts are omitted for the sake of-clearness.

In assembling this automatic tuner, after shaft S has been inserted in hub 4e and shoved just beyond the opposite end of hub 4d, the lever L *and arm Ad are then slipped on the shaft, which is next pushed thru the next hub, at which time another lever and arm are mounted on the shaft. Thissequence is continued until all the parts associated with shaft S have been assembled. It will be noticed that lever L is placed below the lugs Yd and SIM. Arm A is shown without its set screw to show the construction more clearly,

' and another arm of this type has been omitted etween hubs 4 and 4a. for the same reason. In order to show how the 4 type hubs are connected with the yoke, no 0 type positioning arm is shown mounted on hub d. Also for the sake of clearness andto make it more evidentwhere the various parts belong, an L lever is left out between arms Ab and Oh; but it should be under' stood that each set of positioning arms is mounted so that the set screws and lugs are on the inside and that an L lever is placed between the two arms.

Only one lever F is shown pivoted on rod Q, as additional levers of this type would obscure the detail of other parts shown on the drawings.

However, there must be one of these levers for each set of positioning arms. Each-of these levers, of course, has an extension E, shown more clearly in Figs. 1 and 3. and the pin P is placed in the slot I of the short end K of the corresponding lever L. These parts of the lever L that would be associated with the lever F shown on Fig. 4 do not show, because in the plan view the edges of this lever would coincide with those of the top lever F. In order to make it possible for lever L to move in the same plane as lever F, the extension E is offset, as will be evident from Figs. 4, 1, and 3.

The levers of the F type are spaced and positioned on rod Q by collars 9 having set screws [0. The forward. end of lever F, shown on Fig. 4,

. protrudes through a slot G in the front plate or escutcheon D. Fig. 1 shows this feature in side elevation.

In Fig. 5, which is a. front elevation showing the controls for the manual and automatic tuners placed on the front of a combined radio and te1e-' vision set, the outer ends of levers F may be seen protruding through their respective slots G in the cscutcheon or plate D attached to the panel- 22 by screws '13.

Referring again to Fig. 4, the shaft S is attached to shaft I! of the radio tuner 2| by means of coupler l8 having set screws l9 and 20. Mounted on shaft I1 is a calibrated drum l2 operated by knob [3 by means well known in the radloart and therefore omitted from the drawings and-this description.

' pulley 26 at a point ,30, and it passes through two holes 3| in the periphery of pulley G where the' belt is tightened by a spring in a manner well known in the art and therefore neither illustrated The television tuner 24, which may have gang condensers as the variable elements, is operated by shaft carrying a pulley Z6 fixed to the shaft by pin 21.. Dial l5 and knob iii are also mounted on shaft 25.

Pulleys B and 26 move together by means 01 cord 29 passing around the idler pulley 2B and another like pulley which does not show in the drawings because it lies directly below idler 28 in a plan view and the outlines of the two pulleys would therefore coincide. Cord 29 is attached to nor described in this specification. This spring has suflicient tension to overcome the friction J encountered in the operation of the device; and

as it keeps the cord taut, there is no lost motion or play in the transmission. of motion from mounted on the shaft, making a simpler and more symmetrical assembly; but the arrangement wherein the shafts are at right angles is illustrated here to show that the automatic tuner may easily be adapted to a situation in which this construction might be essential. Y

Before the automatic tuner can be used forits intended purpose, it must first be set-that is, the positioning arms must be adjusted. This is done in the following manner:

Beneath each operating lever and slot, an in- I dex tab 0, Figs. 1 and 5, fits into a recess 32, Figs.

1 and 4 between the plate D and the plate M,

attached by screws V, Fig. 1, and having openings or windowsN, Figs. 1 and 5, through which the station call letters on the various tabs may be read. The desired tab is removed, exposing holes U, preferably marked "R and T" on the plate D, as indicated in Fig. 5. @When an operating lever is pressed down, as shown by Fb, Fig. 5,

- set screws appear directly behind these holes, as

also shown in Fig. 1. This, of course, is due to the fact that Fb and its associated L type lever have moved two positioning arms into the central posi tion. through the proper hole, set screw R is loosened. This leaves shaft S free to move while the positioning arms are kept. stationary by holding the control lever down. While'the lever is main tained in this position, the desired radio station is tuned in as'perfectly as possible by means of. knob l3, Figs. 4 and 5, and the set screw R tightened again. with the same lever held down, set screw T is loosened, and by means of knob IS the television station is tuned in that broadcasts the visual programs for the radio station that has just been tuned in, and then set screw T is tightened The control lever may now be allowed to fiip up. The call letters for one of these stations are next writen on the tab, which is replaced in its proper recess, covering up holes U, and indicatingby the call letters inscribed thereon the associated stations that may thereafter be tuned in by pressing the lever. This same procedure is followed for each of the other levers.

Any radio or television station may now be tuned in by the regular manual tuner, or any pair By means of a screw driver inserted' of stations for which the automatic tuner has previously been set may be instantly andperfectly tuned in by merely pressing down the proper lever F. It will be obvious that the various tuners do not interfere with each other as the levers are out of the way of the positioning arms unless the control levers are pressed, and either tuner with the associated positioning arms maybe turned independently of the other tuner and its positioning pensated for by increasing the movement by 'means of pulleys as is done in the case of the television tuner in Fig. 4; or tuning condensersof greater capacity may be used.

In using this automatic tuner for either a radio or television set alone, half the positioning arms and the yoke with its hubs are eliminated. This Y permits positioning arms and L levers to be alternated on the shaft S asshown in Fig. 2, and

the F levers would therefore be much closer together.

Figs. 6, 7, and 8 show modified forms of the operating levers. Inasmuch as the fulcrums for these levers are fixed, one of the levers must slide on the pivot, or the two levers must have a joint that slides, or they must be joined by a link pivoted at each end. In Fig. 6, this requirement'is. met by providing lever F with a slot so that it may slide on its pivot Q. In Fig. 7, pivot Q-is' placed below shaft S, and lever L has the slot. In Fig. 8, the levers are joined by a link 33 that is not integral with either lever, and. the link is pivoted at both ends by pins 34.

I prefer the type of lever illustrated in Figs. 1

and 3, because the all-around performance is the best and the F lever is long and firmly pivoted.

It is not necessary for the positioning arms for radio and television to be .on the same shaft.

They may be arranged as shown in Fig. 9. In this case, the levers must be altered so that they will not be interfered with by the shaftsS and.

25. Lever F is arched so that its main portions may pass below shaft'S- When lugs Y and Y2 are brought into alignment between levers Fand L, the set screws will not be parallel, which is a slight inconvenience in setting them.

Still other modifications may be made from the automatic tuning systems and devices herein described without departing from the general nature andpurpose of the invention.

I claim:

1. A combination including a rotatable member adjustablymounted upon a shaft, a manually operable first lever pivoted upon a shaft and movable in a plane parallel to the plane of rota- I member and rotate it to a fixed position deter-v mined by the stoppage of the motion of said levers. 1

2. A combination including a rotatable member adjustably mounted upon. a shaft, a manually operable first lever pivoted upon a shaft and movable in a plane parallel to the plane of rota tion of said rotatable member, a second lever pivoted upon a different shaft than said first lever and movable in substantially the same plane as said first lever, said levers linked together at a 'point between their fu1crums', means whereby member, a second lever pivoted upon a different shaft than said first lever and movable in substantially the plane as said first lever, said levers linked together at a point between their fulcrums, means whereby either of said levers may engage said rotatable member and rotate it until stopped by the other lever, and apanel having a slot-adapted to admit the free end of said first lever and to permit its free movement.

therein, said panel also having an aperture ex 1 posing the adjusting end of said set-screw when said rotatable arm is held in a fixed position by saidlevers. I

.4. A combination including a first rotatable member adjustably mounted upon a shaft, a second rotatable member adjustably mounted upon a second shaft, a first lever movable in a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of said.

rotatable members, a, second lever movable in substantially the same plane as said first lever,

- means whereby said first lever causes said second lever to move in an opposite direction to said first lever, means whereby said levers engage said first and second rotatable members and rotate them simultaneously to a fixed position with relation to said levers in response to the closing togther of thelatterr 5. A combination including a first rotatable member adjustably mounted upon a shaft, a

I bushing free to rotate upon a shaft, a second rotatable member adjustably mounted upon said bushing, a first lever movable in a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of said rotatable menu-- bers, a second lever operatedby said first lever in an opposite'direction to that of said first leverin jaw-like fashion, means whereby said levers engage said rotatable members and rotate them to a fixed position determined by the stoppage of the motion of said levers.

6. A combination including aplurality of first rotatable members adjustably mounted upon a shaft, a plurality of bushings free to rotate upon a shaft, means for yoking said bushings together, a plurality of second rotatable members each adjustably mounted upon one of said bushings, a

plurality of first levers movable in a, plane paral lel to the plane of rotation of said rotatable members, a plurality of second levers each of which is operated by one of said first levers in an opposite direction to that of the cooperating first lever in'jaw-like fashion, means whereby one of said first levers and its cooperating second lever engage a first, rotatable member and a second rotatable member and rotate them to a position that is determined by the closing together of said levers. s 7. A-combinat'ion including a plurality of first rotatable members adiustably mounted'upon a shaft, a plurality of bushings free to rotate upon a'shaft, means for yoking said bushings together, a plurality of second rotatable members each adjustably mounted upon one of said bushings, a set-screw in .each of said rotatable members, a plurality of first levers movable in a plane parallel to the plane of'rotation of said rotatable members, a plurality of second levers each. of

' which is operated by one of said first levers in an opposite direction to that of the cooperating first lever in jaw-like fashion, means whereby one of said first levers and its cooperating second lever engage a first rotatable member and a second rotatable member and rotate them to a position that is fixed by the closing together of said levers. 1

33. In a tuning control device, a combination including a plurality of independently rotatable .members, a manually operable lever, a second lever operated bysaid manually operable lever in an opposite direction to that oi said manually operable lever, means adapted to transmit mo tion from said levers to a plurality of said rotatable members, and means adapted to hold said manually operable lever in a predetermined position when inoperative.

9. A combination including a plurality of first rotatable members adjustably. mounted upon a shaft, a plurality of bushings free to rotate upon a shaft, means for yoking said bushings together, and a plurality of second rotatable members each adjustably mounted upon one of said bushings.

10. A combination including a first rotatable member adjustably mounted upon a shaft, a

bushing free to rotate upon a shaftya second rotatable member adjustably mounted upQn' sa'id bushing, a first lever movable in a plane parallel to the plane of rotation of said rotatable members, a second lever operated by said first lever in an opposite direction to that of said first lever in jaw-like fashion, said first and second rotatable members having lugs extending into the paths of lever adapted to move said first and second posltioning arms simultaneously, each of said positioning arms having a set-screw extending approximately to the positioning arms free outer end. 4 l Y 12. A combination includlng'a first rotatable member adiustably mounted uponv a first shaft; 9. secondrotatable member adjustably mounted upon a second shaft substantially parallel to said first shaft; a first lever; said first lever and said rotatable members movable in substantially parallel planes; a second lever movable in substantially the same plane as said first lever; means whereby said first lever imparts an opposite motion to said second lever; and means whereby either of said levers may engage either of said rotatable members and rotate it until stopped by the other lever. v

1-3. A combination including a first rotatable member mounted upon a first shaft, said first member, having a set-screw; a second rotatable member mounted upon a second shaft substantially parallel to said first shaft, said second memher having a. setscrew; a first lever; said first lever and said rotatable members movable in substantiallyparallel planes; a second lever movable in substantially the same plane as said first lever; one of said levers pivoted upon the same shaft as one of said rotatable members;v means whereby said first lever'imparts an opposite motion to said second lever; and means whereby either of said levers may engage either of said rotatable members and rotate it until stopped by the other lever.

14. A combination including a positioning member adjustably mounted upon a rotatable shaft; means for affixing said member in a predetermined angular position upon said shaft; a manually operable lever pivoted upon a shaft and movable in a plane parallel to the plane 01' rotation of said positioning member; a second lever pivoted upon a. different shaft than said manually operable lever and movable in substantially the same plane as said manually operable lever; means whereby said manually oper-' able lever causes said secondilever to move in an opposite direction to that of said manually operable lever; tappet means whereby either of said levers may engage said positioning member and rotate it to said predetermined angular position.

15. A combination including a rotatable tuning member; a tappet carrying element adjustably mounted on said rotatable member; a. cover plate; a first positioning member; a manually operable second positioning member adapted to engage said tappet-carrying element and rotate the tuning member until the tappet carried by said element engages said first positioning member, said second positioning member projecting 7 LE aoY J. LEISHMAN.

DISCLAIMER 2,084,851.Le Roy J. Leishman, Los Angeles, Calif.

TURNING ROTATABLE OBJECTS TO PREDETERMINED PosrrroNs.

dated June 22, 1937.

MEANS AND METHOD FOR Patent Disclaimer filed February 14, 1938, by the patentee.

Hereby disclaims from the scope of claim 16 of said patent all structure except that in whlch the positioning element rotates the rotatable member.

- [Ofiictal Gazette March 15, 1938.]

tion to said second lever; and means whereby either of said levers may engage either of said rotatable members and rotate it until stopped by the other lever.

14. A combination including a positioning member adjustably mounted upon a rotatable shaft; means for affixing said member in a predetermined angular position upon said shaft; a manually operable lever pivoted upon a shaft and movable in a plane parallel to the plane 01' rotation of said positioning member; a second lever pivoted upon a. different shaft than said manually operable lever and movable in substantially the same plane as said manually operable lever; means whereby said manually oper-' able lever causes said secondilever to move in an opposite direction to that of said manually operable lever; tappet means whereby either of said levers may engage said positioning member and rotate it to said predetermined angular position.

15. A combination including a rotatable tuning member; a tappet carrying element adjustably mounted on said rotatable member; a. cover plate; a first positioning member; a manually operable second positioning member adapted to engage said tappet-carrying element and rotate the tuning member until the tappet carried by said element engages said first positioning member, said second positioning member projecting 7 LE aoY J. LEISHMAN.

DISCLAIMER 2,084,851.Le Roy J. Leishman, Los Angeles, Calif.

TURNING ROTATABLE OBJECTS TO PREDETERMINED PosrrroNs.

dated June 22, 1937.

MEANS AND METHOD FOR Patent Disclaimer filed February 14, 1938, by the patentee.

Hereby disclaims from the scope of claim 16 of said patent all structure except that in whlch the positioning element rotates the rotatable member.

- [Ofiictal Gazette March 15, 1938.] 

